Page 44 - Agroforestry system - book inner (final corrected) - 9.-3-21_Neat

National level e-symposium on “Agroforestry system for augmenting livestock
productivity and empowering resource poor rural farmers”

Raj, R.M., Raj, A.K., Kunhamu, T.K., Jammaludheen, V. and Prakash, A., 2016. Fodder yield and nutritive
value of subabul (Leucaena leucocephala Lam.) under diverse management regimes in coconut
garden. Indian Journal of Agroforestry, 18(2): 79-85.
Varsha, K.M., Raj, A.K., Kurien, E.K., Bastin, B., Kunhamu, T.K. and Pradeep, K.P., 2019. High density
silvopasture systems for quality forage production and carbon sequestration in humid tropics of Southern
India. Agroforestry Systems, 93(1): 185-198.

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On - Farm Evaluation of Selected Cereal Fodders in Coconut Garden during Rabi Season

Shahina, N.N. *, Asha K. Raj, Kunhamu, T.K and Jamaludeen, V.
Department of Silviculture and Agroforestry, College of Forestry KAU,
Vellanikkara, Thrissur, Kerala – 680 656
*Corresponding author e-mail: shahinanowshad26@gmail.com

Introduction
India’s livestock sector is one of the largest in the world in terms of both livestock number as well as
production. However the productivity of livestock is constrained due to inadequate feed and fodder base. In
India, only 4.4 per cent of the cultivated area is under fodder crops, which is not able to fulfil the demand
(Mathukiya et al., 2016). Hence, farmers entirely depend on purchased concentrate feeds, which offset their
profit to a great extent. Cereal fodders like maize, sorghum and bajra have the capability of producing large
quantities of biomass within short period of time (Chaudhary et al., 2012). However, non-availability of
land is an emerging problem for cultivating fodders. Incorporating fodders in existing coconut gardens,
the prominent agroforestry system in Kerala, is an alternative solution to enhance the production of cereal
fodders. Productivity of cereal fodder in open areas is well explored but their performance under partially
shaded coconut gardens with light constraints is not clearly understood. Hence, the present study evaluates
the relative yield of three cereal fodders viz., maize, sorghum and bajra in coconut gardens and under open
conditions with full sunlight during rabi seaon. The study also assesses the relative performance of cereal
fodders compared to hybrid napier, the popular fodder grass in Kerala.

Materials and methods
The study was conducted during October 2020 to January 2021 in a dairy farmer’s coconut garden located
in Thrissur district, Kerala. Fodder crops like maize, sorghum, bajra and hybrid napier were intercropped in a
coconut garden spaced 7.6 m x7.6 m and aged 27 years, following randomized block design replicated thrice.
Crops were harvested according to their maturity, and the total green fodder yield as well as the yield per day
was calculated based on the duration of crops. The data was statistically analysed using SPSS version 21.
Results and Discussions

The study revealed that the green fodder yield per hectare was found to be significantly higher for maize
(37.16 t ha ) and bajra (35 t ha ) compared to HN (27.97 t ha ) and sorghum (21.2 t ha ) in open conditions.
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The yield under coconut garden (having light transmittance 42 per cent) has also shown the similar pattern of
Institute of Animal Nutrition, Centre for Animal Production Studies, TANUVAS
National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development 25